The Big Fish Day

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Well, we skipped a blog yesterday because we hardly did anything, and only took a couple of pictures. But today we have the big fish day, and lots of pictures.

The charter boat was leaving at 6:30, so they were to report in at 5:30.

ready to dish up - this is for Jacob - we never had this meal when he was with us

Last night at our pot roast, mashed potato and salad dinner we talked about setting an alarm for the early risers. Fred and Wilma each have an alarm clock beside the bed, so we decided to set them for 4:45. Wilma set hers for 4:50, forgetting the clock is still set on mountain time. So it went off an hour earlier than necessary this morning! Inept in setting an alarm too! Oh well, a funny start for the day.

We hushed around to creep out of the campground at 5:20. Yeah, right. Like you can quietly creep out of the campground with a diesel truck! And two of them at that. We are in two different loops, but while Betty and Barney can slip right out because they are the last site, Fred and Wilma got to wake up about two thirds of their loop!

Early morning marina

After seeing the guys off to the boat, Wilma and Betty went up to the overlook to watch them go by. It was slightly foggy and very dark, but we did see them go by. We stayed for a while and then went back to camp and crashed. Around 10:30 we went back out to the overlook to watch for them. The pelicans are fun to watch anyway.

on the way back

 

the boat's total catch

going by our usual river side fishing hole

From the boat going past the viewpoint

It was about noon when Fred called and said they were closing in, so we got our cameras ready and waited. Betty saw them coming around the point and we started snapping pictures. Got a real good close up, but they didn't wave.

this was not them!

Then Betty saw another boat right behind them, but it was really them and not the first boat. We didn't get near as good of pictures of the real them! Wilma is really inept with a camera too!

the real them

back at the marina

at the marina

So we headed down to the Warrenton marina, and watched them come in and unload. This charter worked differently than others we are aware of. They let you catch as many as you could until the boat limit was reached. So Fred says he didn't really catch any, but everyone on the charter took home two of the total boat catch. Barney says Fred got one, Fred says Barney let him reel in his second fish. But Barney got a really really nice Chinook (King salmon). In the ocean you can keep anything you catch, wild or not, Chinook or Coho.

Barney's Beauty!!!

We watched while everyone assembled for a group picture and the distributing of fish, then went over and had them processed and packaged for the freezer.

Concentrating so they stay dry

If we had known how the fish were distributed, Wilma might have wanted to go out also. Wouldn't have had to fish (another inept area for her) but could have come home with two more fish. Barney and Fred said the ride out and back was really nice. No rain, and fairly calm water. No one on the boat got sick.

After relaxing a while we took one last drive into Astoria to the Bowpicker and had fish and chips for dinner.
We will miss the place.

We will be leaving and heading straight home tomorrow morning. Barney thinks the alternator on the Rubble mobile is bad, and is going to try to get home before replacing it. All the shops here are booked for weeks.

Drat, Drat! Another No Fish Day

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

It was a really lazy day, so not much to write about.

Almost into Astoria

Betty came hurrying over (about 15 feet) first thing (for them) this morning and said a cruise ship was due in about 9:30. So we quickly buttoned everything up and took off for the overlook. It had already gone by and was close to Astoria.

We sat at the overlook for a while because the pelicans and gulls were there. There are old pilings just off the overlook that are from a WWII mine dock at the fort. The pelicans were perched all over. There were also a lot of them fishing.

There was a very slight boom and then a wooshing sound and two areas in the water that stirred different, and then the birds descended. It was crazy frenzy and fun to watch.

After a while we decided we might as well get some bait and then go out to the fishing hole. The tide wasn’t at a good point, but we would try anyway.

Betty getting pix of ship passing

The ship report had said there was quite a bit of ship activity expected on the river, and one might be loaded with wind turbine parts. Sure enough, that was the first one we saw coming in.

The end of the day left us with no fish to eat, but we had a good time, and Wilma and Betty stayed out on the river for quite a while too. 

Two sculpins on one hook

 The bird feeding frenzy may be caused by sculpins, because there were several caught. Barney had a nice salmon on and just about in when it flipped off, and there were other misses, but nothing in possession.

Fred decided to check his bait, so reeled it in, and surprise surprise, there was a small salmon on the line (must have snatched the bait on the way in). It was about 15 inches long and had an adipose fin, so he sent it on its way and told it to grow up for next year.

This is boat Fred and Barney will be on Thursday- nice of him to go by today!

 It was mostly overcast and cooler so easier to take than the hot sun. We stayed out until the cruise ship sailed by on its way out, then we packed it up and headed for camp. Boring to read about, but a fun day for us! 

Betty, two passing ships and a smaller fishing boat

We got to watch several passing ships today - the river was busy

Little bit sun glinted off cruise ship as it turns to leave

Gull wants Fred's bait

Drat, a No Fish day

Monday, September 15, 2014
After another lazy morning, with french toast and scrambled eggs at the picnic table, we dumped the trash and the tanks, then went into the fort grounds.

views of our campsites

vastly different than the RV park

They have a small military museum there, and lots of  foundations left over from WWII. We also walked out to see an Indian longhouse, but the only thing there was a sign.

Sword display in museum

It was quite warm, and supposed to be a little warmer than yesterday. We then went in to get some bait and a quick stop at the river viewpoint. There wasn't anything going on on the river, so we headed out to the fishing hole. There was a slight breeze that promised to keep things cooled down a little.

Fog just started in - then completely cover us

After the guys had been out a while Betty noticed the fog rolling in. It kind of came in from all sides, and really cooled things off, so we decided to take sweatshirts out for the guys. They were most thankful.

As we got out there Barney hopped up and grabbed his pole, but missed the fish. They had missed several already, and before Wilma came back in, Fred had missed another. We did see one caught just down the way. There was another miss or two before they finally came in. As we could see them starting to pack it up, we noticed a feeding frenzy with the pelicans and gulls. There were hundreds of them swarming around the area where Barney and Fred were fishing. Probably caused enough commotion they drove the fish away! Oh well, we'll try again tomorrow.

After goofing around a little we decided to go to Pizza Hut for dinner. Got a newbie waitress, and had some fun working on her training, but eventually had a good meal.

It was almost sundown by then and there was a chance at having a really pretty one so we dashed out to the Petie I overlook. Alas, the prettiest part was to be seen as we were on our way, and camera inside the camper. But we enjoyed a few minutes overlooking the ocean.

It's a Keeper! so Guess What We had for Dinner!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

 It's a keeper!!! And we downed half of it for dinner! We kind of had to be pigs to get it all down, but we managed, and it was very good.

But let's start at the beginning of the day. Somewhere along the line we were all ready to leave the RV park, and went to the river overlook. The map of ships coming and going looked pretty active today. Betty spotted a cruise ship at the Astoria harbor. We don't know when it came in, but probably early this morning so they could have the day in town.

Next stop was the registration office at Fort Stevens to try for some good spots. After a try or two, we actually got our favorite spots for the next five days. This time we are actually leaving on Friday, not just going to the RV park.

This one is a keeper - Supper coming up!

Then a quick stop at Costco and Home Depot, back in for bait, and out to the fishing hole. We wanted to be out there about 1:30, and we were close.

We got the rigs parked and the guys went out. After a while Betty and Wilma took them some sandwiches since we hadn't had much for breakfast. By the time we got out there, Fred had caught a keeper and missed two others, and Barney almost had one on the bank when it broke loose. Fred also missed another one later. It was a very busy fishing day!

Almost back with "The Load"

When they finally called it quits for the day we stopped at the little place at the boat harbor that will process your fish for you, and we had them clean it and fillet it, and had half of it vacuum packed. The state park does not have cleaning facilities. The RV park has a nice cleaning station, but we had already checked out of there. The last time Barney had to clean and chunk one up Betty thought there must be a better way than doing it in the camper. Believe me, having it cleaned and filleted was worth $5. They made really quick work of it, and no mess for the camper!

We again stopped at the overlook, and it was really crowded, but we were just in time to see two cargo ships meet and pass each other going opposite directions.

Meeting

Passing

The channel isn't very wide, so they are fairly close to each other, but I'm sure not as close as it looks to us on shore.

Celebrity Century

 At about the same time the cruise ship came out of Astoria and made its way past us. I know I've said it before, but it is really fun to watch the ship traffic so close, and once again, it doesn't take much to entertain us! But like I said, we weren't the only ones out there.

Then we had to stop at the registration building and get our hang tags for our camp sites, stop to dump our trash, get settled in our spots and get the fish in the oven. Oh it was sooo good.

Before the oven

during

after

We had a really great day!